Of life death and inbetween
by Thewildchickentaco
Summary: In which Klaus dies at 17 and proceeds to play unthanked guardian angel, to a bunch of ungrateful siblings(really, and they call him bad?) involving time travelling, assassin's, a very grumpy and possesive Five, God, the Devil, and alot of other dudes. Oh, and a super cute soldier boy named Dave, that too.


The day Klaus died, he knew it would be bad.

At 17 years old Klaus had picked up some things about the world he lived in. One: Reggie was an asshole, Two: Drugs keep the dead away 3: Never take Fives things and 4: Sometimes trying gets you nowhere unless it works both ways. It definitely did not go both ways in the Hargreeves house.

He also noted that while he may be the family failure, he clearly had more sense than most of his siblings. Like really, who in their right mind just assumes they know shit about others powers? That's got to be some form of serious egoism, (unless it's Five, but five was the science guy, so it made sense)

But still, it's like the few conversations he'd had with them on the dead as a child we're blanked from their minds.

"What are ghosts like Klaus?"

"Do they really keep you up though?"

"Aren't you exaggerating?"

"Why can't you just control them?"

"There has to be a better way than drugs, honestly"

It's like they all imagined they were in an episode of Ghost whisperer where he was aquainted with sad dead people who just needed love, and would simultaneously do whatever he said like a dog. Plot twist, there's a lot of people in the world, and a lot of ways to die, few go peacefully. And when they're then stuck watching the world march on uncaring, it tends to build up envy and hate. Also they're still people with emotions, he can't make them do anything they don't want to do, they don't change cause they died, a asshole is still a asshole, a child is a child, and all that changes over time is the emotional whiplash of being suddenly and terribly barred from the living, wether they accept it or don't is their own choice.

The first thing that warned him of impending doom was the ghosts. Saturday morning he was greeted with calm collective whispers of the dead, and to a too bright sun as his curtains were yanked open by Vanya.

"Klaus get up. The others already left for a mission an hour ago."

"hungergh hmm? Ooh lovely, that means I can sleep longer"

Yeah, he thought he heard Luther screaming at him about something this morning, it sounded like it involved a robbery, and giant salamanders of some sort.

Vanya huffed and eyed him, tapping her foot and waiting.

Ugh, ok up it is. As Klaus groaned and stretched himself out of bed he began to notice how quiet it was. The house ghosts were there as always, but the behavior was off. Growing up as a crime fighter, Klaus had seen death in action and it always attracted a crowd. He wasn't sure how they sensed it but the dead knew when someone was gonna kick the bucket within hours. It seemed the worse it was gonna be, the more showed up, a drowning would attract maybe a few dozen, but murder would have them lining down the block like morbid fangirls of death.

Currently he only saw the regulars hanging about the room, a pair of maids, the laundry woman, that dude with the crowbar, and a random biker that sometimes popped up. All of whom we're pulling the quiet mysterious silence that heralded bad things to come. He turned back to Vanya as he shook off a shiver and stood up.

"To the breakfast table my dear sister!"

Vanya gave him a look.

As they walked out Klaus couldn't help but think his day was going to get alot worse.

When their siblings returned around late afternoon, Klaus knew he was in for it. Luther has what looked to be smoke all over his face, Allison had the remains of some strange goo coating her, Ben looked decently upset, covered in the blood of his victims, and Diego had a black eye.

Diego snarled when he saw him "Oh look who's up and about and probably high as hell."

Ok, that was warranted.

"God, Klaus why weren't you there?" Allison glared as she said it, clearly portraying her deep annoyance although he couldn't really understand why. It wasn't like he ever did anything on missions other than play "lookout" which half the time didn't do crap anyways if something went wrong.

"Klaus next time there's a mission, when I say 'get up', you get up, insubordination won't be tolerated." Ahhh, Luther always gotta be number one. Klaus dearly hoped he was too stoned to show much expression because otherwise he'd definitely be making a face.

He tilted his head toward Ben who simply looked at him with pity. Thanks bro, but I'm not the one covered in blood right now.

He kinda zoned out through the rest of the gangs tirade after Reggie slapped him with 'extra training', Vanya had left for a recital at the music hall a hour ago and with luck everyone else would be too tired to hear him slipping out tonight. About 30 minutes later it seemed they'd finally finished degrading him verbally, and he patiently waited as they all wandered away before heading upstairs to wait for night.

It was probably 3 am by the time Klaus finally managed to leave the house, he heard someone up and about around 1:30 and didn't want to risk it. Now though he navigated the creaky old house with practiced ease as he slunk to the nearest exit he could reach. He had just hit the back pantry door when the lights flipped on.

"What are you doing?" Ben asked.

"GyaaaaHH!" Klaus leaped about a foot in the air before collecting himself and feining affront.

"Why dear brother obviously I'm sneaking out. Sleep is for suckers, as Fivesy would've said!"

Ben grimaced and replied "Five also would've said sneaking out to get drugged into a blackout was the stupidest thing you could do."

Klaus felt his eye twitch in irritation, but was too tired to pull a argument right now, so seduction it was.

"Oh please, I wasn't planning anything huge, tonight atleast I just wanted to get away for a bit yah know? Hey actually you can even come with bro! Super great place, very nice view."

"Come with to get drunk and high, really Klaus?"Been stared blank faced.

"Noooo silly, to watch the sunrise of course!" Klaus pulled a embarrassed grin and tried to look abashed. Say what you want about his life choices, but he was a damn good actor.

Now Ben looked suprised and contemplating. Judging his truthfulness. All true actually except that generally he was in fact commonly drunk or high when he watched said sun rise. Klaus figured it was time for deflecting.

"Speaking of weird habits, why are you up?" Obviously cause of the 'terror' as Klaus called it. But he needed Ben distracted.

"The monsters are active tonight.."Ben trailed of stroking his stomach as it to settle it.

Klaus stared for a moment and decided "Well I always say threes a company but two should be ok for today at least." He turned towards the door and glanced at Ben who stared from his spot in the pantry.

"You coming bro?" Klaus raised an eyebrow.

Ben seemed to unfreeze and hesitate as he decided. Yes Klaus was a trouble maker but he'd never put them in harm's way purposefully, and Reginald kept them on such tight leashes it was impossible to say when he'd get the chance to leave the house of his own will once more.

"Yeah, yeah let me just grab some shoes.."

Two minutes later a pair of siblings slunk into the shadows of the dark headed into the city for a taste of freedom. The ghosts stood silent and waiting.


End file.
